Christmas 2010
Merry Christmas everyone,
How do you like the new Christmas letter website?  I thought it would be a great idea since we have blogs for everything else.  This way you can read all the past year's letters as well.  If I find more letters that were not already saved on the computer, I will add them later.

Caleb is 26 and in the Navy.  He is still on shore duty and living in Norfolk, VA.  His big purchase this year was a beautiful black corvette.  He had been looking on the internet for just the right corvette and tried to find one in his area, but ended up finding the one he liked in near by Comstock Park, MI.  He surprised us and flew to MI and had a friend pick him up from the airport and drive him to Comstock Park, which is just a few miles NW of Grand Rapids.  He then drove into our driveway in his new sports car.  I happened to be away when he came home, and by the time I arrived, he was out with friends.  The other kids quickly told me that Caleb was home.  I said, "No he's not.  He's in VA."  They then said that he came home in a corvette.  My response was, "Yeah, right?"  He sure surprised us!  He came in the early part of July and spent the 4th of July with us.

Grace is 24 and still working at the day care.  She loves it.  She started bringing her work home this year.  Grace  had grown quite close to one toddler at the day care and offered to have him come over sometime.  That worked out perfect, since his mom just started working in the evenings, so Jonas and his twin brother, Aiden, started spending a lot of time at our house.  They have spent many nights as well.  They are now my surrogate grandchildren. I have grandpuppies too, but more about them later.

Grace and Vic are still living with us.  He is continuously looking for work.  He has had several interviews, and some seemed very promising, but no luck yet.  Keep him in your prayers about that issue.  I know they would like to get a place of their own, but that will have to wait till he gets a job.  They are both very helpful around the house - that is a huge help for me.

Joshua is 22 years old.   He is still figuring out what he wants to do in life.  He stopped going to physical therapy, but did get a membership to the YMCA to get some exercise.  Josh's big purchase this year was an all-black King Shepherd named Buddy.  King Shepherds are bigger than German Shepherds.  Buddy is still just a puppy, but is already almost the size of a small pony.  He will be a BIG dog.  Buddy and Lisa's golden retriever puppy named, Izzy, are my grandpuppies.  Josh and Lisa are engaged and are working on setting a date for the wedding.  They thought maybe June 2011 would be a good month, but are still trying to work out a time that will fit the budget as well.  Lisa graduated with her masters from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI this past August and started working as a physician's assistant for an orthopedic doctor here in Grand Rapids.

Kristi is back home and is getting closer to finding a job she would like.  She applied at the assisted-living home where Grandma Holt stays.  Kristi has a very compassionate heart for children and the elderly, and this would be right up her alley.  Another plus, is that one of her aunts works there.  Knowing someone at a job site is a huge advantage as well, especially in this bad economy.  We are hoping to hear soon whether or not she got the job.  Cross your fingers.

Isaiah just turned 18 this month.  He is going to the Grandville High School.  He is not sure what he will do next after high school.  My Isaiah still has a great sense of humor and keeps me laughing.  He still gives me hugs and tells me he loves me, even when his friends are around.  He does have flaws and can be a "teenager" at times, in word and deed, but underneath it all, there is a great young man.

Eric is still working nights at Wynalda Litho in Rockford, MI.  It will soon be changing its name to Wynalda Packaging.  They specialize in printing a lot of DVD covers and other types of packaging materials, so they are changing their name this coming year.  I am still at Vredevoogd Heating and Cooling in Grandville, MI.  I am very comfortable now as a CSR (customer service representative) and am told I am a great asset with my compassionate demeanor with the customers.  Eric and I are still very involved at our church.  We both added a Bible Study to our already busy schedules.  Eric meets Monday mornings with a group of men and I gather with a small group of ladies on Thursday nights.  It has been a great way to grow closer to others in our church.

Merry Christmas and God bless all of you this next year,

       Eric, Sue, Caleb, Grace & Vic, Josh & Lisa, Kristi, and Isaiah

Caleb's Corvette

Josh, Lisa, and Buddy

Izzy

Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas everyone,                                                                                                                

We hope that all of you have had a nice 2009 year.  Ours was the usual...ups and downs.  I will try to keep it brief this year since the kids are grown and don't always like the world hearing about their woes.  Some of our kids are getting very private and don't want mom broadcasting their every move.   

Caleb (25 yrs) is home for Christmas.  He is still in the Navy.  He is on "shore duty" and is stationed at the Naval Base in Norfolk, VA.  He isn't doing the cooking anymore, at least not for a whole ship full of sailors.  He oversees the barracks.  I think he will be at this post for three years and then if he stays in the Navy, he will have another four years of deployments on a ship. 

Grace (23 yrs) and Vic still live with us.  She is still working at a day care center near our house.  The hours and pay are not great, but at least she has a job.  Vic is still looking for a job.  He had a short stint with a factory in Grand Rapids, but had to quit due to a medical issue and awful conditions.  He would love to get a job working with computers or in shipping and receiving, but is looking for anything right now.

Josh (21 yrs) is still going to physical therapy and looking for employment.  He is my "private" one.  He has felt that his life has been an open book since his accident in 2004.  Yes, it has been over 5 years now.  I will just let you know that he is doing better, but still has big highs and lows.  I don't think he would mind me mentioning his elk hunt in Rhame, North Dakota in September.  Thank you Ken and Verna for setting this up and a special thank you to the owners of the elk ranch (Craig and Bobbi Egeland) for allowing him to come.  He brought home elk meat and I thought it tasted better than beef!   Enough said for this guy.

Kristi (19 yrs) is still trying to find her way in the world.  She is not living at home right now.  She is staying with friends and looking for a job.  She did work a few months with the Grand Rapids Press, but is now looking again for something within walking distance.  She is still thinking about going to school for something "medical".  

Isaiah (17 yrs) - our baby!!!  He is a junior at the Grandville High School.   If you are the praying sort, please pray that he will make it through high school.  He is a smart boy, but doesn't yet see the value of doing well in school so he doesn't apply himself.   He may be the tallest one among us at 5' 11", and may not be done growing yet! 

Eric still works nights at the print shop in Rockford and I am a customer service rep. at a heating and cooling company in Grandville.  We are both still very active in our church.  I am a Sunday School teacher (K-2nd grade), sing in the choir, and work in the Nursery.  Eric is a deacon.    So, there it is in a nutshell. 

I am sooooo thankful for Jesus!  It is comforting to know that we will have an eternal rest in heaven someday because He chose to leave heaven and come to earth, where He would suffer rejection, and ultimately take the punishment for our sins so that we could share in such a great inheritance with Him.  If only we would live our lives with this "big picture" in mind?  It is my goal this next year.

The Holt family

Eric, Sue, Caleb, Grace & Vic, Josh, Kristi, and Isaiah

Email:  holthome_2000@yahoo.com

Check out our blogs: www.angelfire.com/hi5/holtpage  and
www.joshwholt.blogspot.com

Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas everyone,

Here’s the Holt scoop … Caleb has signed up for another 4 years in the Navy.  Right now he is stationed in Little Creek, VA, where his ship (USS Whidbey Island) is undergoing major repairs.  It will not be deployed again for a couple years.  He has been on three deployments since starting in June 2004.  Each deployment was in the Persian Gulf, Mediterranean, and along the coast of Somalia.  The big news this year was that his ship was involved in returning hi-jacked ships to their rightful owners, along the coast of Somalia.  The USS Whidbey Island was also the ship that fired the warning shot at the Iranian speedboats that rushed toward US ships in the mouth of the Persian Gulf.  Scary stuff!  He also got to see that luxurious resort in Saudi Arabia that has been all over the news lately.  It’s amazing how much of the world he has seen.  Anyway, he is still cooking up a storm for the sailors aboard his ship.  Next June he can choose another place to be stationed and has already put in a request for Hawaii.  That sure would be a fun place to visit our son.  In April, Josh and I (Sue) got to welcome Caleb home from his last deployment.  Caleb left his car in MI and we brought it back down to VA for him.  That was quite the sight to see his ship come in!  Caleb gave me a tour of the ship too. We also enjoyed seeing him in August when he was home for Grace’s wedding.

Grace and Vic reaffirmed their vows on their first anniversary (Aug. 16^th).  We had fun preparing for the big day.  We tried to keep it very economical, and did pretty well at staying close to the budget.  She had a lovely wedding gown, a simply decorated church ceremony, and a gorgeously decorated reception hall (thanks to the wonderful help of Aunt Barb Holt).  A lot of friends and family helped as well to make it a very special day.  Grace and Vic are currently living with us.  Grace works at a Day Care Center in the area and Vic was just laid off from a factory job in Muskegon.  It is a blessing that he doesn’t have to travel to Muskegon every day, but he is in need of a job.  He is very gifted and college trained in computers, so if anyone knows of a computer job around the Grand Rapids area, let us know.  They are both a great help around the house.  They do some of the cooking and cleaning and that makes me extremely happy!

Joshua is still going to physical therapy three days a week for three hours each of those days.  Those hours sure make it hard to get a job, along with the fact he is in a wheelchair.  He did start working at a Centennial Wireless store recently with a friend.  He is making a little money right now, with the hopes of making lots more when the two of them can buy the store.  Josh is a natural salesman and his friend, Bob, who has worked with Centennial for a year, is quite the salesman as well.  Josh has a wonderful girlfriend, who used to be one of his physical therapists.  They had to keep their relationship hush-hush while Lisa worked at the Spinal Cord Recovery Center in Rockford, MI.  She is now back in college to further her education in the medical field, so they can make their relationship public knowledge now.  Lisa is a sweetheart and Josh is a very fortunate young man to have found her.  By the way, Josh got an 11-point buck on opening day of hunting season.  J

Kristi is finishing up high school this year.  She will be done in January.  She just celebrated her 18^th birthday at the end of November.  She is still the strong-willed child that she has always been.  It has caused some strife for the family and herself, but she will really go places in this world when that strong will is aimed in the right direction.  She can be the sweetest, most wonderful loving person, while at other times be totally the opposite.  I think she is trying to figure out just who she is; and when that happens, she will be on the way to great things.  Kristi also has a boyfriend.  His name is Eric.  He used to play wheelchair basketball with Josh a couple years ago.  Eric isn’t paralyzed, but an amputee and has prosthetic legs.  We will keep you posted on what Kristi decides to do after high school as those decisions are made.  I hope she goes to college.  She has thought about going into nursing. 

Isaiah is a sophomore in high school.  He will be 16 this year in December.  School is going well for him.  His grades could be better if he tried harder, but he is the typical teenager who wants to put in as little effort as possible.  He is a great help around the house though.  He does dishes, cleans out the kitty litter, and does other chores around the house.  I slip him a little money now and then since I appreciate his help so much.  Isaiah has been interested in church and the Bible lately.  He does his “Quiet Time” devotions and has started being an usher during the Sunday morning worship services.  I am so proud of him!   He used to be quite the troublemaker, but has been making much better choices lately.  He is a lot of fun too.  I appreciate his humor and so do many others, but his siblings just think he is rather annoying.  Isn’t that how it goes?  His teachers don’t always appreciate it either.  He’s a really good kid though!

Eric is still working at Wynalda Litho in Rockford, MI.  He works at night from 8:00 pm to 6:30 am four nights a week.  He works in the bindery department doing many different jobs.  He did this same type of work at Custom Printers in Grand Rapids for 18 years.  When he was forced to make the switch back in 2003, he took a huge pay cut.  Because of that, I have had to make a major change in my employment this year.  Working at Cross Creek Charter Academy the last nine years has been such a joy for me.  It hardly seemed like a job since I loved working with the students and staff there as a paraprofessional (teacher’s aide).  To help, I also started working as a tutor at the Sylvan Learning Center during the summer and after school, and started privately tutoring a couple other students after school.  This just got to be too much and I began looking for something that would bring in more income without stretching myself so thin.  This summer I joined my best friend (who also worked at the school with me for seven years) at Vredevoogd Heating and Cooling.  I am now a Customer Service Representative and answer phones and do other office work.  While I was learning these new skills I had huge second thoughts about the move and wondered why I had ever decided to leave the job I loved so much, but I have grown more comfortable with my new work and enjoy the steady income that it provides – and I don’t have to work three different jobs to help the family finances.

I think that about covers everything.  If you have the internet and would like to keep up on our family, you can visit these two websites:   www.joshwholt@blogspot.com to read about Josh, and www.angelfire.com/hi5/holtpage/  to read about the whole family.  I don’t post very often, but you can check once in awhile.  I do have pictures on both sites and some video of Josh in physical therapy on his site.

                                 All our love,
                                        Eric, Sue, Caleb, Grace & Vic, Josh, Kristi and Isaiah

Christmas 2007
Dear family and friends,                                                                                           

Merry Christmas    We hope you are enjoying another year that God has provided for you.  God is good.

Things have had a more positive spin to it this year.  Our family has grown, in number and in maturity.  It has brought some joy into our lives after struggling through the last few years.

First, the growth in numbers.  No, I didn’t have another baby.  Sorry, that is impossible now.  I better be careful what I say because nothing is impossible with God! Anyway, we have a new son-in-law to enjoy.  Grace got married this past August.  Since we couldn’t really afford to put on a wedding this year, they got married at the courthouse. Meet Mr. & Mrs. Victor Luce.  We are hoping to have a wedding and reception this coming August.  We are shooting for Saturday, August 16^th.   That would fall exactly on their first anniversary (and my sister Barb’s birthday).  Get on your knees and pray with us that the funds will fall from heaven like manna. We are very pleased with Grace’s choice and he fits right in very nicely.  He is a very respectful and kind young man.  Not too many of those around these days, but Grace found one.  YES!

They are living with us for now until they can afford a place on their own.  I’m thinking they will probably stay with us until the wedding this August.  They might move out sooner, but they are welcome to stay as long as they need to.  They have fixed up a bedroom in the house with all their needs: bed, small frig., stereo, TV, etc.  They could stay in there and only come out to go to the bathroom if they wanted.  They are both a delight to have around.  They even make meals for us every now and then.  I could get used to that.  I love coming home to a cooked meal – cooked by someone else.  That’s the life.

Caleb is 23 and still in the Navy.  He is deployed again to the Persian Gulf and surrounding areas.  Get on your knees again and pray for his safety.  So far there hasn’t been anything to worry about, but it doesn’t hurt to do some prevention praying.  He called the other day and said that he is thinking very strongly of re-enlisting for another four years.  His time is up in June.  As long as the Navy remains a safe branch of the military, this will be a good thing for him.  He is maturing nicely.  The Navy has been a very good thing for him.  He is still a cook on the USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41).  We are so very proud of him!

Grace is 21 and working at a day care center.  She is finally getting more hours, but the pay isn’t that great.  She loves working with the kids though.  Enough said for Grace since I already spent two paragraphs above on her.  We are extremely happy with our new son-in-law! (Or did I already say that – It’s worth repeating!)

Josh is 19 and has made great progress this year, in many ways.  Josh has continued to go to physical therapy and is doing well.  He can walk with leg braces and a walker just like he has been doing.  It is mostly just movement from the hips, but he has to keep everything limber and strong for that wonderful day when all those muscles are working at their full potential again.  Several people from physical therapy are going outside the country for stem cell procedures.  They are making great progress.  The progress is slow, but they are gaining strength and getting more use of their paralyzed limbs and their abs.  Here’s another prayer request.  We need those stem cell procedures done here in our country.  These procedures use the patient’s own stem cells, so there shouldn’t be a problem with it in the U.S.  Josh is ready for this next step, but it is financially out of our reach.  Right now our insurance won’t pay for it since it is so new and considered experimental.  One of the other patients from therapy is trying to get her insurance to pay for her stem cell injections she has received in Russia.  She has the same insurance that we have.  If she can get them to pay for her stem cell procedure, then we have a good chance of getting Josh’s paid for.  I would rather have it done here in the states though, so pray that it will come here SOON!

Josh has also gone hunting this year for the first time.   A group called “Outdoors Without Limits” sponsored Josh to go to a ranch this past Labor Day Weekend to hunt deer.  Josh had a great time and got a buck and a doe.  He later went on another hunt for the disabled and got another small buck.  Then he went hunting with the family that sponsored him to go to the ranch, and he got another buck and doe.  Our freezer is jam-packed and Josh is on cloud nine.  His attitude has been great.  Grandpa Stricker would be so proud of him.  Too bad they couldn’t have hunted together.  Josh has even started going to church with us again and tells me that he loves me.  Doesn’t that melt your heart?  We were sooooooo ready for this to happen in our lives.  To read more of Josh’s adventures and progress, visit his website:  www.joshwholt.blogspot.com   (includes pictures & videos too)

If you persevere, you will be able to help someone else that travels down your same road in life.  Josh has been able to help others in wheelchairs and has also inspired others who aren’t wheelchair bound.  Check out Josh’s website for more.  This is getting exciting.  The school that I work for asked Josh and I to speak to the whole school at one of our moral focus assemblies.  Each month we focus on one moral quality and January is on Perseverance.  They asked us to speak before, but we just weren’t ready yet.  It feels so good to be ready to help others rather than being the one who needs help.  I have always felt like my gift was to be a giver and helper, but for so many years I was the one who needed help.  I guess God has been preparing me to share what I have learned.  Everything is not perfect, but it is so much better.  Thank you, Lord!

Kristi is 17 and a senior in high school.  She technically won’t have quite enough credits to graduate and will have to take a couple more classes when school is done this year.  It’s a minor glitch and we will persevere through this as well.  She has made the honor roll for the first time, ever!  We are so very proud of her.  She has finally put her mind on her studies and realizes she does need that diploma and it is worth the effort.  She is even slowly shedding that teenage attitude that has caused such a wall in our parent/child relationship.  It feels so good to have our daughter back.  We are still cautious because that attitude does like to sneak back in from time to time.  We love all our kids dearly and it feels so good to have better relationships with them all. 

Isaiah is 15 on December 15^th.  Our baby is getting so OLD.  This young man is such a delight in our lives.  I can honestly say that this year.  Isaiah has had some major issues in his life that has had some major consequences attached to them.  I thought we would never get to this point (of being a delight, that is).  I won’t go into detail, but you probably remember from Christmas letters past that he was a squirrelly one and his antics seemed kind of cute and funny.  As he grew, it wasn’t so cute and funny anymore and he pushed things too far.  But my baby is maturing too and is making much better choices now.  Again, I have to say that he isn’t making good ones all the time, but the majority of the time he is making excellent choices.  His grades in school are making mom and dad happy too.

So, aren’t you glad that this letter isn’t another gloomy report like the last two years?  I sure hope so, because I am extremely happy about it. 

No room to say much about Eric and I.  We are working hard to make ends meet.  Finances are still an issue since he got laid off in 2003.  With inflation and rising taxes we just can’t get ahead.  Every time I hear on the news that they are thinking of raising taxes, I just want to cry.  How can they squeeze any more out of us?  Sorry, here I go again with the doom and gloom.  I don’t want to do that, so enough said.  I am enjoying my work at school with the kids and Eric likes (but doesn’t love) his work at Wynalda Litho, another print shop.  It’s never been his favorite thing to do, even though he is very good at it.

I do want to thank all those who have helped us out financially and otherwise.  You know who you are.  There aren’t words to describe our gratitude.   This brings tears of joy and thankfulness.   I hope God blesses your socks off because you certainly deserve it.

With all our love and gratitude,

            Eric, Susan, Caleb, Grace (and Vic), Josh, Kristi, and Isaiah  ~  & Candy, Angel, and Zap (meow)  

                             (Holt email:  holthome2000@sbcglobal.net)

P.S.  No pictures right now but I will try to get some on our family website:  www.angelfire.com/hi5/holtpage

Christmas 2006

Dear family and friends,

Sorry that I didn’t get a letter out last year.  I was waiting for Caleb to come home (Jan.) and thought I would get someone to take a family picture of all of us together to send out and that just didn’t happen, so I never did get out a Christmas letter.  I have included a copy of last year’s letter.

I am still a little overwhelmed with disorganization.  Even though we all moved home from the hotel over a year ago (June 10, 2005), I still have not sorted through everything and put it in its proper places.  So much stuff accumulated while we lived at the hotel for a year… mail (bills, insurance summaries, other correspondence, etc.), spinal cord injury information, school papers, etc. that I normally kept sorted as it came in.  Once we did move home we had to keep things boxed up because the house was not completed.  The builders were still dry-walling, painting, and carpet was not in.  Two weeks after we moved home I went into the hospital for a scheduled surgery (female stuff).  What was supposed to be a two-day hospital stay turned into two hospital stays and a full summer of recuperation.  I ended up with a bacterial infection that couldn’t be reached with antibiotics and had to have a drain put in my abdomen to get it out.  So, my second stay lasted 8 days.  I finally had some strength back just in time to go back to work at the end of summer vacation.  I have no excuse as to why I didn’t get things organized this past summer.  I just didn’t know where to start, I guess!  It gets frustrating at times when I want to find something and don’t know where to even start looking for it.  One of these days we will get it together.  But in the meantime, we are just taking it one day at a time and that is how we manage to keep going.  We concentrate on the progress and try to keep focused on what is really important in life.

Caleb is 22 years old and in the Navy.  He joined in June 2004.  He is on the USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41).  It has a landing strip big enough to hold two military helicopters.  It also carries amphibious landing crafts in the bottom of the ship.  They also transport Marines and were a part of the US security in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf from June to December of this year.  His ship was also a part of the evacuation efforts in Lebanon this summer.  We are so proud of him.  He is a cook and has to slave over a hot stove for hundreds of Marines and Navy crewmembers daily (around 800 mouths to feed).  He now has the certification to cook for civilians too.  That may come in handy when he eventually leaves the military.  He will get to spend Christmas with us this year.  His ship should be back in the States in the beginning of December and he will be home December 16^th and stay until the 27^th.  Did I mention that we are so very proud of Caleb?  Well, we are so very proud!!!

Grace is 20 years old and trying to “find” herself.  She took some time off from college to earn some money for her education.  She started working at a day care center within walking distance of our house, but shortly after being hired the center changed owners and she was let go.  Grace then moved to Muskegon to live with friends and tried to get a job there.  She is still not employed and not going to college.  She has some decisions to make and I hope she makes them soon.  We love her, give her gentle advice, and PRAY that she will make wise choices.  By the way, she is home now and looking for a job in this area.

Josh turned 18 in May.  He is struggling with life’s decisions too.  He needs to finish high school, but has put that on the back burner and puts all his efforts into his physical therapy and doctor appointments.  I think it just got too overwhelming to do it all.  He even gave up wheelchair basketball this year.  Even though I am an educator, I have to say that with Josh’s circumstances, he needs to have that success in therapy and gain confidence in the work place before he tries to drudge through academics.  I know that sounds a little backwards because the norm is to get your education so that you can get a job.  Josh has never been the academic sort and the thought of trying to do school, therapy, and keep the never-ending doctor appointments has just been too much.  We have already lived in the trenches of that battlefield and don’t want to pass that way again.  I won’t go into details, but it was a nightmare and I thought we might lose our boy for good.  So, as I said before, we will take it one day at a time and do what is necessary at that moment.  That’s all we can do for now.  He is doing better right now and life is a lot more pleasant.

Kristi is 16 years old and in the 11^th grade.  She struggles with school and could do better if she tried a little harder.  She is still very stubborn and has had her troubles because of it.  I remember how stubborn she was about picking her own clothes out and dressing herself at a very young age.  She didn’t need anyone helping her.  Many years ago when I was at a homeschooling support group meeting we had to say something positive about each one of our kids.  At that time Kristi was a bundle of stubbornness and I was wondering what I could say about her.  Before they got to me another mom described her stubborn child and said that if her son ever became a prisoner behind enemy lines they would never be able to get any military secrets out of him.  I now knew what an asset stubbornness could be, even though right then it seemed like a flaw.  Now, along with those teenage hormones, the stubbornness is still coming across as a flaw but maybe someday it will shine through as a wonderful trait to be proud of. 

Isaiah will soon be 14 years old.  He is taller than both Eric and I.  Actually all our kids are taller than us except for Grace.  She is still just under five feet tall.  Isaiah is struggling with many areas in his life.  You would think he was starved for attention with all the ways he draws attention to himself.  The last couple of years has been eventful for him, but I won’t go into detail here either.  I just pray that God will grab a hold of his heart and help him to see what is really important in life so that he will make better choices.

Eric is working at Wynalda Litho in Rockford, which is about 30 minutes north of Grand Rapids.  He does exactly what he used to do at Custom Printers for 18 ½ years.  He works the night shift though (6pm – 4am) four nights a week. Once in awhile he may work 5 or 6 nights if they get busy, but has worked only 2-3 nights a week when it gets really slow.  He is used to those hours now, but it still throws him off on the nights he doesn’t have to work. 

I am still working at Cross Creek Charter Academy.  My drive each day is 30 minutes as well, but in the opposite direction.  I am a paraprofessional (which is the politically correct name for teacher’s aide) and this year I mainly work with an autistic boy in the 5^th grade.  I also work with kindergarteners and 3^rd graders a couple times in the day.  Those teeny tiny chairs and all the sitting on the floor has my old tired knees crying out in pain.  I must look a sight when I try to get up off the floor or out of those itty-bitty chairs. 

We still attend the same church but have cut back on our responsibilities there.  Eric isn’t a deacon this year and I even took a break from choir and teaching Sunday school for a few months.  Right now I am back to both of those, but don’t attend or teach in our Wednesday night children’s program.  I do feel like I am out of the loop on a lot of things going on there, but we just have to do what we can with where we are at.

If you would like to keep updated on Josh’s progress or other family information, we have two websites for you to visit.  www.joshwholt.blogspot.com   Josh’s progress site

                      www.angelfire.com/hi5/holtpage   Holt family updates

Email address:  holthome2000@sbcglobal.net

Special recognition for the evacuation efforts                   

 in Lebanon in July, 2006    Way to go, Caleb!               

                                                      

                                                Back row:  Isaiah, Eric, Caleb, Sue

                                                Front row:  Kristi, Grace, Josh

 Christmas 2005

Greetings,

Let me start by telling a little about each of the kids.  Caleb is 21 and has been in the Navy for a year and a half.  His ship, the USS Carter Hall, is now in the Mediterranean for an 8-month stay.  He works in the galley (kitchen).  He mans the grill on the ship.  I guess he can fry anything!  The last time we saw him, which was last August, he had put a little weight on.  He must be a GOOD cook.   Caleb called a few days ago from Italy.  What a surprise!  He got to see Rome!  He also told us that he is being sent back to the states around January 1^st to prepare for cooking school, which starts February 9^th.  He will come home for a few days before taking off for Texas.  After school is done he will get new orders, so he may not be sent back to the same ship.  Maybe he can hint that he would like to be stationed in Japan.   He had to turn his cell phone off while out to sea since it won’t work out there, so we keep in touch by email.  We are trusting God to take good care of our son.

Grace is 19 and has taken a year off (maybe more) from college to work and save up money.  She wants to be a teacher.  She is working at a day care center right near our house so she can walk to work.  She has friends in Muskegon, which is about a 45 minute drive away, and spends as much time out there as she can.  It hardly seems that she lives at home anymore.  It is quite a change to have two children out of the house….just three more to go!

Joshua is 17 and a junior in high school.  Academics still are not his forte.  His favorite classes are weight training and business.  He still loves building up his body and someday would like to own his own business.  Josh is no longer receiving physical therapy.  He has learned all that he can to be efficient in a wheelchair.  He is independent in everything.  Sometimes he needs a little help reaching things up high, but otherwise he can do everything for himself.  The biggest news is that he does have some muscle control in his lower back, hips and upper legs.  We found that out during biofeedback sessions at the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital.  Now we are anxiously waiting for a December 1^st doctor’s appointment to see if she will let Josh participate in a new therapy program that will help Josh walk again.  This program is in the Detroit area, but is going to open a branch in Rockford (just 30 minutes north of Grand Rapids) in December.  This is the kind of therapy we have been asking for from the beginning and haven’t been able to get permission from the doctor.  If the doctor writes a prescription, then it will be paid by our insurance.  It is very expensive and we must have the help of our insurance.  To check out updates on Josh’s progress you can go to these two sites on the internet:  www.angelfire.com/hi5/holtpage  and www.joshwholt.blogspot.com . 

Kristi is 15 and a sophomore in high school.  She made the varsity women’s choir this year.  We are all pretty proud of that since she is only a sophomore.  Both of the girls spend lots of time straightening their hair each day with a heated hair straightener.   What girls must do to look beautiful!  I wish hair straighteners had been around when I was a teen.  Straight hair was “in” back then and I wanted what I did not have.  Kristi keeps busy with her friends and still has her strong-willed attitude.  I am hoping someday it will be an asset.  She is very compassionate as well and will probably go into the teaching or health care field. 

Isaiah will be 13 on December 15^th and is in the 7^th grade.  Our youngest is in Jr. High!  We will have four teenagers then.  It already feels like we have that many.  They definitely keep us busy.  Isaiah is a very smart young man and could do much better in school if he put his mind to it.  He started the year out in his usual manner, goofing off and getting detentions, but is starting to come around.  I think it might have something to do with all the chores at home.  I don’t think he likes doing EVERY chore in the house.  Since I went to conferences a few weeks ago, he hasn’t had a single detention.  Well, what do you know!  It’s about time!!!  Some day we will laugh about all this, but it has been tough going through it. 

As most of you already know, Josh, Isaiah, and I had been living at the Residence Inn since Josh was released from Mary Free Bed on June 30, 2004.  We were finally able to reunite the family in a beautifully modified home on June 10^th of this year, just two weeks short of a year.  During that year I was able to adapt and do what had to be done, but Josh really struggled being away from the house and neighborhood.  He felt extremely cooped up at the hotel.  When we moved back into the house it was not done, but at least we were home.  We are still waiting for a few other jobs to get done as the builder tries to fit us in among his other current projects. 

This summer was a bit trying.  A couple weeks after moving into our house I had some surgery done.  It was rather uncomfortable recuperating while the builders were still working on the house.  During the week after my surgery, I just couldn’t keep my temperature down even with heavy-duty antibiotics, so on July 1st I went into the emergency room and we thought the problem would be fixed with a big dose of another antibiotic.  No deal.  So on July 4^th I was admitted back into the hospital for what was supposed to be an overnight stay to do some tests.  Eight days later, many tests and a drain poked into my abdomen to drain out an infection that couldn’t be reached by the antibiotics, I was finally able to come home.  Then about a week or two after that, Eric decided that he wasn’t going to let me have all the limelight to myself and had to be rushed to the doctor’s office for severe pain in his abdomen.  Isn’t it strange how a little itty-bitty 2-centimeter kidney stone can cause so much trouble?  We thought he was a goner for sure.  I hear that the pain rates right up there with childbirth.  I guess kidney stones are paybacks for the men!!!  He just might have a better appreciation for my labor of love, times five!

Just a brief note about our pets.  We gave our two cockatiels away to one of Josh’s friends this fall.  Isaiah is extremely happy about that.  Cleaning up bird poop is not at the top of his list, or even the bottom.  He still has to scoop cat poop though, and lots of it at times.  Our wayward female cat likes to sneak out the door as we come in.  She had three little kitties this past spring and three more this fall.   The first three kitties were in high demand and we had no problem of finding good homes for them.  One of them had beautiful light blue eyes and white fur.  She is named Pumpkin and lives at Grandma Holt’s house.  The other two were totally black like their mother.  In this last batch, all three kitties are black.  One of Kristi’s friends took one kitty home just the other night.  Grace would like to keep one, so we have one more to go.  Now it is time to get mommy cat fixed.     

We certainly hope your Christmas is a time of family, friends, and the gift of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Without His sacrifice of love for us, we would have and be nothing!  There would be no HOPE…and we definitely need hope in this chaotic world we live in. 

God bless your family for another year. 

All our love,

    Eric, Susan, Caleb, Grace, Joshua, Kristi, and Isaiah

December 2004 

Dear family and friends,

 This year has been eventful, to say the least.  There have been many changes in our family and they haven't been small.  Last year (July 2003) Eric was laid-off from his job of 19 years and then just before Christmas he started another job, doing the same thing as before, but only at a much lower pay rate.  That was quite a blow.  He also must work 12-hour shifts through the night.  Not what we had expected at this time in our life.  That has put our faith to the test.  We made it through with the help of many of you.  We are extremely grateful to you all. 

On Mother's Day of this year we received a phone call that has changed our lives completely.  The hospital called to say that Joshua had been hit by a car.    He was out rollerblading with a friend and a car crossed the centerline and hit him from behind.  It was a hit-and-run.  The driver did finally turn himself in hours later, which made it impossible to check for alcohol or drugs.  We believe that the driver had to be intoxicated to do what he did.  After hitting Josh, he stopped and pulled Josh off his car before taking off.  Josh’s friend said the guy just grabbed Josh's arm and yanked him off.  It is very likely that this caused even more damage.  Joshua's legs, between the knees and ankles, were severely broken.  He now has rods, plates, and screws in both legs.  During one of his surgeries on his legs a dying muscle was removed and we were told that Josh could possibly lose that leg.   We feel so blessed that that didn't happen.  Joshua lost so much blood though that his spinal cord lost its supply of oxygen.  Joshua slowly lost feeling and mobility as the day wore on.  By the next morning he was paralyzed from the lower ribs down.  At first the doctors were optimistic, but time has painted the real picture.  He has regained a little sensation in his legs and feet, but no mobility at all.  Joshua spent 2 ½ weeks in the hospital, with a few days in the Intensive Care Unit, and then was transferred by ambulance to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Center here in Grand Rapids.  He spent 5 weeks there learning to be independent in a wheelchair.   He then had outpatient therapy 3 days a week for the rest of the summer.  Once school started he went for therapy sessions 3 days a week, but we are now waiting to set up therapy sessions that will come to us in the afternoons since he was missing so much school.

This summer, which should have been filled with driver's training, relaxation, and summer jobs, turned into a full hectic schedule of therapies, doctor visits, and a move to a hotel.  Our home is definitely not barrier free.  We live in a bi-level -- a wheelchair nightmare.  Josh and I and occasionally some of the other kids moved into the Residence Inn about 8 miles from our home.  We have been waiting for our insurance company to start modifications on our house that would move the kitchen, dining room, and living room to the lower level and construct a bigger garage out front.   Of course, special changes are going to be made to accommodate a wheelchair in the other rooms on the lower level as well.  They have finally started on the house but it may end up being close to a year of hotel living before we can come home.

Insurance companies are interesting and frustrating when it comes to expensive bills that need to be paid.  We still have medical bills that need payment and our house modifications were not started until we had to register a complaint with the Department of Insurance and hire a lawyer.  Not what we expected after faithfully paying our premiums for all these years.

Well, enough of our frustrations.  Caleb is finally in the Navy.  He finished basic training in August                                 and is now stationed in Norfolk, VA on the USS Carter Hall.  He has plans to attend a cooking school in Texas as soon as there is an opening and is practicing those cooking skills presently on the ship.      

He seems to enjoy what he is doing and calls home often.  He has his own cell phone and loves to use it, as some of you already know!  Those free nights and weekend minutes don't go unused!  He has been home once since graduating from basic training and is planning a two-week visit just after Christmas.  He looks pretty impressive in his uniform.

Grace is attending the Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) to start her degree in teaching.  She has spent the last 8 weeks observing and helping out in some classrooms at the school where I work.  She is enjoying it very much.  She only needed to work in the classroom 2 hours a week, but she has been coming two days a week (her days off from the college) since she loves the children so much.  She is racking up those classroom hours, which will come in handy later.

Joshua is attending the 10th grade at Grandville High School.  Academics is still not his strong suit and it is showing true this year.  We are hoping he will be able to pass and move on to the 11th grade.  He is struggling with many issues besides school and we are trying very hard to keep him moving in a positive direction.  He is playing on the Jr. Pacer's wheelchair basketball team.  He made the varsity team and was just added to the roster of the Pacer's (adult team).  He practices every Wednesday evening and has games one weekend a month.   Some of the weekend games are in Las Vegas and California.  This boy is going to see the world. 

Kristi graduated from the 8th grade at Cross Creek Charter Academy in June and is now attending Grandville High School as a freshman.  She is in the choir and has made many new friends.  She is turning into a nice young lady and has been talking more and more about BOYS!  I bet you didn't know there were so many “hot” boys at the high school!  Well, there are!  Kristi loves kids and babysits every chance she gets.  She is also thinking about a career in teaching.

Isaiah!  Oh, Isaiah!  The stories I could tell, but won't.  If I wrote a story about his life it would greatly resemble that of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn or Robert Peck's "Soup".   Oh, the mischief and commotion.  There is never a dull moment with Isaiah around.  Isaiah started 6th grade at Cross Creek Charter Academy, but we just recently switched him to the Grandville school system to give him a fresh start.  The charter schools are a wonderful place for any child to be educated and we would have loved for Isaiah to stay, but he loves to perform for his classmates and was in a rut of disruptive behavior; nothing serious, just too much of all the little things.  It's very hard for the teacher to teach when a certain student is giving his daily comedic recitation.  We are hoping a change of scenery will help. 

Eric and I are hanging in there.  There are a lot of stresses with our full-time jobs, church activities, house construction, insurance companies, legal issues, raising children issues, hotel living, etc.  We are trusting God to get us through this year and to help us grow so that we can be a testimony to others.  That is our goal, to grow and not be destroyed by this trial.  My motto is, "We WILL make it through this"... and we will.

We want to thank all of you that have prayed and helped in various ways this past year.  We are so very blessed by your generosity and appreciate you all very, very, much!  God bless you all this Christmas as only He can do!

Love, 

      Eric, Susan, Caleb, Grace, Joshua, Kristi and Isaiah

December 2003

Dear family and friends,

The Holt family has had some changes this year.  Eric was laid-off in July from a job he had done for 18 ½ years.  What a blow!  Work had been slow for the last couple years and with no over-time, we had been trying to live with less.  But when unemployment checks started coming, we truly learned to live on LESS!  It was a $7.00 an hour pay-cut.  I am still working at my teacher-aiding job and continuing to love it, but I have started probing the idea of being “The Teacher”.  I am hoping it doesn’t come to that since I really love what I am doing right now.  Sometimes we wonder why we have to go through certain hardships, and this has been one of those times.  God has been so good to us though.  He has never promised anyone to give the “extras” in life, but to provide for our NEEDS.  We have definitely had to depend on Him and He has shown us His love through others.  We are truly grateful for the generosity of our family and friends through this time.  It was so hard at first to accept help, but that is exactly what God wanted us to learn.  To tell you the honest truth, I would rather help others than to accept help, but God needed for us to be at the “receiving” end to better serve in the “giving” end.  I can look back through my life and see that each hardship has lead to an opportunity to be a blessing to someone else.  It sure stinks going through these hard times, but God knows what He is doing!

Now for the good stuff.  Caleb is now out of high school and pursuing a life in the Navy.  I didn’t know it was so hard to get into the armed forces.  He is still in the sign-up stages, which started last June.  He had some medical issues to take care of and is now contending with the more academic matters.  He planned on shipping out for boot camp with a friend on November 4^th, but his friend had to move on without him.  I have reservations about the whole thing, after finding out they lost his paperwork twice, but Caleb is still determined to join.  It will be good for him to get some discipline and an education, but I worry about the life-threatening side of the package.  But I will trust God to take care of that part.  No matter what happens, Caleb is a child of God and is in good hands no matter what happens. 

Grace is a senior at Grandville High School.  She is doing very well with her studies and heading down the college prep road.  She is all set to take her A.C.T. test this month.  I hope that helps her get some scholarship money.  She plans on a career in education like her mother and would like to attend the community college here in Grand Rapids before shelling out the big bucks for Grand Valley State University.  She should be able to live at home for both colleges, if she can stand her mom and dad that long.  She no longer has a boyfriend.  They broke up shortly after Christmas last year.  She has kept her nose to the grindstone at school, so there is no time for a boyfriend.  What a smart girl!  There will be time for that later.  Last summer, Grace took her first airplane ride.  She traveled to North Carolina with the elderly lady she cared for.  She really enjoyed herself and even made some new friends.

Josh is now riding the bus to school with Grace.  He is a freshman at G.H.S.  So far he is doing well, except for that very low grade in Science.  He has also had a little trouble with his talkative nature.  Mom and dad are not happy with the detentions for this kind of behavior.  Josh has made friends with a boy from Kosovo.  Feke lives a few blocks from our house and attends G.H.S.  It is fun learning about other cultures.  This past summer Josh has sharpened his skills at the bike jumps.  I am so glad I don’t have to watch it though.  He has come home with scrapes, bruises, gashes and stories that would make any good mother cringe.  I just can’t see the fun in purposely hurting oneself.  But boys will be boys.  Josh is also learning to be a little more careful in his choices of friends.  Last summer we had to call the police to stop a so-called friend from trying to beat Josh up over a misunderstanding.  The really bad part is that this kid lives really close to us, but Josh has purposely stayed clear of him.  Then just a couple weeks ago we got a call from school to inform us that Josh was with some kids that had drugs on them.  Josh told the principal he had no idea they had it on them.  He didn’t really know the kids that well, but they said they had something to show him.  Before they could show him, they took off running when they saw a teacher coming towards them.  Josh had no idea why they were running and told the principal that.  I will be on my knees praying (big-time) for the influences in our children’s lives.  Josh is a good boy and I hope he has learned from these experiences.

Kristi is doing well in school.  She is in the 8^th grade and her last year at Cross Creek Charter Academy.  All her grades were good this past marking period.   She is a good helper.  Lately, she has been going home with a young teacher (Angela) after the morning church service to help with correcting and grading of papers.  Angela provides the main meal and Kristi brings dessert.  Sometimes Grace goes as well.  They correct and grade for a while and then watch a video.  I am sure Angela loves the company since she is single.  This is good practice for when my girls become teachers.  Kristi is leaning towards that career as well.  She would probably make a good nurse too.  Kristi loves children and likes to babysit as much as possible.  I have heard from so many moms that Kristi is very good with kids and that the kids just love her.  Both my girls will not only make good teachers, but good moms as well.  I am proud of them.

Isaiah is having a very good year at school.  He has an excellent 5^th grade teacher at Cross Creek Charter Academy.  She has a very quiet atmosphere in her classroom and that helps tremendously.   Isaiah has trouble with noise and too much activity around him.  Mrs. Galloway is very patient and loving with just the right amount of firmness.  I worked with this teacher my very first year at Cross Creek and have always been impressed with her teaching techniques.  I am hoping Isaiah will learn some new behaviors that will aid him through his remaining school years.  He went for A.D.H.D. testing this summer and some counseling.  In my opinion, he doesn’t really have an attention problem, but more of a hyper problem.  He just has a hard time sitting still.  He’s still paying attention even when he is having a “hyper attack”, if you know what I mean.  He is a very smart boy, so his grades aren’t suffering.  His teacher set up an incentive program for his good behavior and Isaiah has cashed in on his first prize (lunch at Wendy’s) recently and has a good start on the next one.  His classmates are enjoying the “new” Isaiah and have even stuck up for him in times of trouble.  In the past, if Isaiah was even near trouble he was blamed since he had a “reputation”.   It just warms my heart to see his classmates help him rather than blame or “egg him on”.  I hope this is the turning point.  Recently we purchased a Bible for Isaiah at his request.  Imagine that!  He has started reading in Genesis and intends on reading through the whole thing.  When I mentioned it to his teacher, she said he could do his required book reports on books of the Bible.  I am hoping his Bible reading will cause him to think about what God wants him to do.  Who knows, we may have a preacher in the family some day or at least a very well-behaved policeman.

Here comes some good news.  Eric starts working at another print shop this Monday, Dec. 8^th.  He will have the night shift.  It has been a long, scary process, but we are finally there.  There will be a Christmas at the Holt house! 

Well, God bless you and may you have a Merry Christmas, a Happy Jesus Birthday and a very Happy New Year!  Just remember that Jesus would rather suffer here on earth and in hell, than to live in heaven without you!  Thank you Jesus!

            Love

                       Eric, Susan, Caleb, Grace, Joshua, Kristi and Isaiah  (Candy, Chuck and Spooky)

Christmas 2002

Dear Family and Friends,                                                                       

          Life is good, but as usual, life is also hectic and full of surprises.  No, I am not pregnant.  Whew!!!  Five children is an overflowing handful, especially with these five.  Details to follow.  Now for the year 2002 in a capsule.  Let’s see if I can remember it first of all.  I am getting to be an old lady you know.  The gray hair has been with me since I found that first one at the age of 18.  Yes, you heard me right.  I denied it, but the evidence was there for all to see.  I have always liked the way my hair has had that frosted look, so I just keep it that way.  But when people started thinking I must be a grandma because of the gray hair and the plump physique, I decided to make a change.  The gray hair is still a survivor, but the physique is a little less plump.  Yes, I did it!  I lost 40-some pounds and have been able to lose it and keep most of it off for over a year now.  Yippy!!!  I have been a little lax lately about food and exercise, but I am getting back into it so I don’t undo all of my hard work.  I have ordered aerobics and yoga videos to do the trick.  Now I have to find the time to fit them in!  Now that is a magic trick!  Anyway, I’m sure you want to know about those five children, their pets, boyfriends and school achievements (or lack of).

            Child number one is a senior this year.  Caleb has been taking computer classes at KCTC here in Grand Rapids.  It is a vocational school that high schoolers can attend.  Classes there include topics other than computers, but that is what Caleb is taking.  He has learned how to network and build computers.  He is naturally talented in this area.  It has been a gift and a blessing since he struggles with academics.  We finally got senior pictures taken in order to meet the deadline for the yearbook.  He is taller than, and knows more than mom and dad (the “taller” part is fact, and he thinks the “smarter” part is fact as well).  Wait until he has children!!!  He is 18 and feels that as an 18 year old he should be able to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants.  But like days of old, while he lives under this roof that we provide (and pay for), he will march to the beat of OUR drum (even if we are stupid).

            Grace is our 16 year old and a junior at Grandville High School.  She is still doing pretty well with her grades, with the exception of Spanish this year.  She diligently does homework every night and it has paid off.  This past summer Grace took driver’s training and also took care of an elderly lady.  That kept her busy and gave her some spending money.  This fall she was asked to the Homecoming dance by a very nice young man named, Brandon.  It was fun shopping for a dress and getting her all beautiful for her first date.  I underestimated how long it would take to do her hair, so they got a late start.  It has been awhile since I used a curling iron you know.  She looked gorgeous in her sparkly red dress and curly long hair.  Grace and Brandon are officially “going out”, but not really going out on dates.  They see each other at school and on Sunday evenings when Caleb and Grace attend Brandon’s church youth group.  Once in a while Brandon stops by.  That  is nice.  I really didn’t want them to go off on a date alone.  We told our children that we really would rather not have them go out on a “date,” but preferred that their date would spend time with our family or they could do activities with their family.  

            Joshua is 14 and in the eighth grade at the charter school where I work (Cross Creek Charter – a National Heritage Academy).  He is on the basketball team.  They just had their first game.  They were ahead, 16 to 8, at halftime, but must have relaxed in the second half to lose by one point.  It was an exciting game.  Joshua wants to be the next Michael Jordan.  When his coach asked him why he didn’t do as well as in practice, his reply was, “They wouldn’t pass the ball to me.  The point-guard was a ball hog.”  Well, there you have it.  It was true that he didn’t get the ball much, but he did make the two free-throws when he was fouled.  That’s my boy!  Joshua has the same problem as his older brother, since he is a teenager too.  Joshua is also taller than us.  I’m glad our children are not as vertically challenged as their parents (except Grace – she hasn’t reached 5 foot yet and probably never will).  This past summer Joshua helped out with some remodeling for some friends of ours, and thought he had broken his finger when a board came flying out from a saw.  It swelled up big-time and was a horrible black and blue color.  The doctor was even amazed when the x-ray said there was no fracture.  It looked hideous!  We still may have to go get it checked since that finger still looks bigger than the rest.  But he is a hard worker and a super duper salesman.  He doesn’t take no when trying to make that sale.  While selling candy bars for his 8^th grade class trip (Washington, D.C.) he easily sold 6 boxes (50 candy bars each).  He definitely has the gift of gab.  I wonder where he got that from?

            Kristi is our 7^th grader.  She just turned 12 on Thanksgiving day.  She is doing fairly well with her grades and has lots of friends at school, church and in the neighborhood.  She attends the charter school too.  Her class will be going to Kentucky to visit some caves later in the school year.  She did the candy bar fund-raiser too.  She sold 5 boxes, with Isaiah’s help (she didn’t like going out in the dark alone).  She has been a good girl and hasn’t had any broken bones, so there isn’t much to tell.

            Isaiah is 10 and in the 4^th grade.  He is doing extremely well with his academics.  He had all A’s and one B on his first report card this year.  You have to have B+’s or above to be on the Honor Roll, so he just missed it, but it isn’t an impossibility for the next report card.  It seems to come easily for him since he doesn’t ask for a lot of help from me.  He does, however, still have a problem in the behavior department.  He has to learn to play less aggressively and learn to not always stir things up.  He isn’t happy unless he is starting or joining in on some trouble.  His teacher says he tries to be the loudest, funniest and grossest to draw attention to himself.  I wish children had the capability to see the big picture of their whole life, so that they would make wiser choices.  I love him dearly, but I wish he would consider how his behavior affects the rest of his family, especially his mother.  It gets pretty embarrassing when we have those meetings with the principal (my boss) to straighten out these mishaps. 

Believe it or not, I had a mom at the school ask me if Isaiah was my oldest.  What a sweetie.  I had to admit that I had a senior in high school, and a junior, and an 8^th grader, and a 7^th grader and then Isaiah.  They always seem amazed that I have 5 children.  I think it makes me look like a saint or martyr or somewhat angelic with such a large family.  I’ll let them think what they want.  I won’t burst their bubble.  It is just plain ole’ HARD WORK bringing up 5 children and working full time.  It doesn’t seem angelic at all, but we will let them think life is just wonderful and all under control.  I love looking like a Super-Wonder-Mom.  It makes me feel better when the daily battles happen and I end up in the bottom of the trench, trampled down flat as a pancake.  (All you moms will know what I am talking about.)  Life is good and I enjoy my work.  I can bring a smile and a happy heart to children’s lives every day at the school.  I am respected by my co-workers and loved by most of the children.  I say, “most,” since naturally the ones who I have to get after are not in agreement with that statement, if you know what I mean.  Now, what more can a person ask for?  I have my cake and can eat it too.  Life must be truly hard on the person who doesn’t enjoy their place of employment.  I didn’t want to call it a “place of work,” because I don’t consider it work.  It is just too much fun and a good thing for my heart and soul.

Now for the pets.  At the last printing of this annual letter, you heard that we had a cockatiel.  We now have two cockatiels and a cat.  As if 5 children weren’t enough!  The second bird was given to us and the cat found us.  She was a little lost kitten out in the September cold rain.  We tried to find her owners, but no one would claim her.  “Can we keep it, can we keep it?” became a yes.  It didn’t take long to get food, litter and a comfy bed for our little black kitty.  Her name is Candy.  The birds are Chuck and Spooky.

  Eric still works at Custom Printers and we still attend Standale Baptist Church.  We are quite busy with activities at church.   Eric has been working many hours the last week or two.  That has been a good thing since work has been slow most of the year.  He wasn’t allowed to work over 40 hours and we were used to several hours of “overtime”.  We felt the pinch this year. 

Well, I think I remembered everything of importance this year.  I hope your year has been a great one and we wish you a GREAT year to come.  Just remember – Life is what we make it.  And I choose to make it a great and fulfilling one.  We can pull ourselves out of those trenches, even if we’ve been flattened to a pancake.

Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe, Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed me white as snow!  Good thing Jesus decided to come as a baby and then grow up – just to die for us!  He did that for us!  We should feel very, very special and grateful.

God bless and have a very Merry Christmas.

            Love,

                  Eric, Susan, Caleb, Grace, Joshua,                                      

                 Kristi, Isaiah, Chuck, Spooky and Candy (meow!)